Royal Troon Avoided Olympic Conflict And Will See The Open Again In '16

Scotland's Royal Troon Golf Club will stage its ninth Open Championship in '16. The last time it hosted the event was eight years ago when American Todd Hamilton beat South Africa's '02 champion Ernie Els in a play-off (London DAILY MAIL, 6/20). GOLF WEEK's Alistair Tait noted the championship was "expected to come back" to Royal Troon in '14, but golf's governing body R&A "delayed its return because of a busy sports schedule" in Scotland that year. R&A championship committee Chair Jim McArthur said, "With so much going on in sports these days, we have to think about taking The Open to the proper location each year." R&A CEO Peter Dawson said, "I think also the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup in '14 affected the sequencing." The R&A "has a slight problem" with the '16 Open Championship because of the inclusion of golf in those Olympic Games. Scheduling is "going to be tricky," and the R&A will have to "consult widely to avoid a clash." Dawson: "A condition was pledged that no major golf event -- men's or women's -- would clash with the Olympic Games in 2016. That will be [the] case. Just exactly how the schedule will pan out to make that happen is still under discussion" (GOLF WEEK, 6/20).